Acetylene generator



Feb. 26, 1935. M, Pl DE MOTTE 1,992,358

ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Oct. 31, 1931 INVENTORQ Weam moRNEYs PatentedFeb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Oxweld Acetylene Company, a

of West. Virginia Application October 31,

15Claims.

The invention is a carbide/feed for acetylene generators of thecarbide-to-water type.

The more important objects of the invention are to provide an acetylenegenerator with the following features:

A feed that will maintain more uniform pressure within the generatorregardless of the rate of gas consumption.

A feed that willoperate only while gas is being drawn from thegenerator.

A feed that will operate only when the gas pressure in the generator isbelow that for which the feed is adjusted.

A feed that will operate only when the gas pressure in the generator isbelow that for which the feed is adjusted and gas is also being drawnfrom the generator.

A feed that will not operate from a reduction of pressure alone.

A feed. that will vary the carbide feeding rate according to the amountof gas being drawn from the generator.

A feed that will vary the carbide feeding rate according to the gaspressure within the generator.

Other aims, objects, and novel features will appear in the followingspecification and the accompanying illustration, in which Fig. 1 is afragmentary horizontal section of an acetylene generator showing myimproved feed, and V Fig. 2 is an elevation of a generator partially insection showing my improved feed therein.

The feed comprises means for moving the carbide valve at a rate varyingwith the amount of gas being drawn from the generator and means forfurther varying the rate by the amount of gas within the generator.

The means for moving the carbide valve is a motor driven by the gasdrawn from the generator, and the means for varying the rate of movementis a diaphragm responsive to the pressure within the generator.

The motor has a shaft that is driven by gas drawn from the generator,and consequently, its rate of movement is proportional to the rate atwhich gas is drawn from the generator.

The motor shaft is connected with the carbide valve by a variabletransmission comprising a lever having an arm of variable length, andthe diaphragm is mechanically connected with this transmission to varythe length of this arm inversely to the pressure in the generator.Therefore, the carbide valve is moved only while gas is being drawn fromthe generator, and the rate of corporation 1931, Serial No. 572,408

movement is varied both by the amount of gas being drawn from thegenerator and the amount of gas within the generator, and either meansfor varying the rate of movement may stop it altogether.

One example of my feed comprises a fluid pressure motor 10 firmlysecured within a generator casing 11 by suitable means not shown. Thismotor 10, has a reciprocating motor shaft 12 connected by a motor link13 to the driven arm of a motor lever 14 of the first order that iscarried by a motor lever fulcrum 15 mounted on a motor lever fulcrumsupport 16 that is carried by motor 10. The driving arm of lever 14 isprovided with a drive link adjusting slot 17 in which a drive linkadjusting pivot 18 is carried. A drive link 19 connects this drive linkadjusting pivot 18 with the outer end of a carbide valve arm 20 carriedby a carbide feed valve 21.

A pressure regulator 22 of a type well known in the art is attached tothe outside of casing 11 by conduit 23 extending therethrough. Apressure responsive diaphragm 24 within the regulator is connected by aregulator rod 25 with the driven arm of a regulator lever 26 of thefirst order carrled by a regulator lever fulcrum 27 on a regulator leverfulcrum support 28 rigidly secured to conduit 23 within casing 11. Thedriving arm of lever 26 is connected by a control link 29 with thecentral portion of drive link 19.

The carbide feed valve 21 is located in the outlet of a carbide hopperin the upper portion of a generator casing 11. The valve is carried bythe upper end of a vertical carbide valve shaft 31 that is journalled ina carbide feed valve support 32 carried by hopper 30, and a carbidevalve arm 20 is-rigidly attached to the lower end of shaft 31.

The upper surface of carbide feed valve 21 has the form of a truncatedcone and this surface is roughened by suitable means such as flutes 33.This valve 21 is located in outlet 34 of hopper in such a manner that nocarbide will feed. past the valve when it is stationary, and hopper 30is provided with a shield 35 to relieve valve 21 of part of the weightof the carbide in hopper 30.

Pressure regulator 22 is provided with a conventional regulator spring36 to balance the gas pressure on the diaphragm, and an adjusting handle3'7 by which the tension of the spring may be varied.

Gas in being drawn from the generator passes through motor 10 togenerator outlet 38 and the movement of this gas causes motor shaft 12to reciprocate. This movement is transmitted by link 13 to lever 14causing it to rock on its fulcrum 15. The movement of lever 14 istransmitted to carbide valve 21 by drive link 19 and carbide valve arm20, thereby imparting to the valve a reciprocal rotary motion. The rateor amplitude of this motion or movement will be proportional to the rateor amount of gas being drawn from the generator through motor 10 andobviously when no gas is being drawn from the generator the valve willnot be moved.

The rate at which carbide feed valve 21 is moved is further controlledby the position of pivot 18 in drive link adjusting slot 17. Thisposition is controlled by diaphragm 24 of pressure regulator 22 throughregulator rod 25, regulator lever 26, and control link 29. Diaphragm 24is controlled by the pressure within'the generator and this pressure iscontrolled by the tension of regulator spring 36 which is adjusted byhandle 3'1.

When the gas within the generator rises to a pressure for which theregulator 22 is set, diaphragm 24 will have moved outward against thetension of spring 36 and moved adjusting drive link pivot 18substantially in alinement with motor lever fulcrum 15. In this positionalthough gas may be drawn from the generator, no movement of motor 10will be transmitted to carbide valve 21; When gas pressure within thegenerator is reduced, regulator spring 36 will force diaphragm 24 inwardand this will move drive link adjusting pivot 18 toward the outer end ofdrive link adjusting slot 1'/, and then when gas is drawn from thegenerator the movement of motor 10 will be transmitted to valve 21. Theratio of movement will bevaried by the pressure on diaphragm 24, andconsequently by the position of pivot 18 in slot 17. The connectionbetween diaphragm 24 and drive link 19 is arranged so that the lower thepressure in the generator the higher the ratio of movement between motor10 and valve 21, and conversely, the higher the pressure within thegenerator, the lower the ratio of movement.

As my improved carbide feed is adapted to vary the rate of movement ofthe carbide feed valve 21 according to the amount of gas being drawnfrom the generator and also according to the pressure within thegenerator, it will maintain a more uniform pressure within the generatorthan feeds used heretofore.

As carbide outlet 34 of hopper 30 controlled by feed valve 21 is notvariable in size all danger of the valve 21 being accidentally held openis obviated. This eliminates all possibility of fortuitous feed anddangerous or wasteful high pressures within the generator.

The preferred form of motor 10 is disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 570,929.

It is understood that the various joints of the mechanism are ofconventional design. unless otherwise described. These joints may be ofthe type having a bolt or pin passing loosely through the connectedparts and held in place by one or more nuts or cotter pins. Furthermore,similar and equivalent joint structures may be employed.

Where no specific material for the various ele- .ments has beendescribed it will be understood that the material employed is that usedin conventional structures and that the description has been omitted forthe sake of simplicity. Also, whether a material has been described ornot it is understood that other conventional or equivalent material maybe substituted.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, with preferredmeans for transmit ting movement from the motor to the carbide valve,and preferred means of varying the rate of this movement, it isunderstood that other and equivalent means for transmitting the movementmay be employed and that the component parts may be arranged in a mannerdifferent from that shown.

These and other changes, alterations, and substitutions may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theclaims.

I claim:-

1. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having areciprocating motor I shaft; a motor lever fulcrum carried by saidmotor; a motor lever of the first order carried by said fulcrum; meansfor connecting said motor shaft to the driven arm of said motor lever; adrive link adjusting slot in the driving arm of said motor lever; avertical carbide valve shaft; a carbide hopper having an outlet; acarbide valve carried by the upper end of said carbide valve shaft insaid outlet; a carbide valve arm carried by the lower end of saidcarbide valve shaft; a support for said carbide valve shaft carried bysaid carbide hopper; a drive link adjusting pivot in said drive linkadjusting slot; a drive link connecting said drive link adjusting pivotwith the outer end of said carbide valve arm; a pressure regulatorhaving a diaphragm; a regulator lever fulcrum support carried by saidregulator; a regulator lever fulcrum carried by said regulator leverfulcrum support; a regulator lever of the first order carried by saidregulator. lever fulcrum; a regulator rod connecting said diaphragm withthe driven arm of said regulator lever; and a control link connectingthe driving arm of said regulator lever with the central portion of saiddrive link to control the position of said drive link adjusting pivot insaid drive link adjusting slot.

2. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having areciprocating motor shaft; a motor lever of the first order fulcrumed onsaid motor; means for connecting said motor shaft to the driven arm ofsaid motor lever; a movable carbide valve; means for connecting thedriving arm of said motor lever to said carbide valve comprising a slotin said driving arm having a portion thereof in axial alignment withsaid fulcrum; and means for varying the length of the driving arm ofsaid motor lever from maximum to nothing comprising a drive link havinga pivot movable in said slot into a position in alignment with saidfulcrum. Y

3. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor having ashaft; a motor lever carried by said motor; means for connecting saidmotor shaft to the driven arm of said motor lever; a carbide valve;means for connecting the driving and means comprising a pressureresponsive diaphragm for increasing the length of the driving arm ofsaid motor lever when the pressure in said generator is reduced. 1

4. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor; a motorlever having an arm of fixed length and an arm of variable length; meansfor connecting said motor to said arm of fixed length; a carbide feedvalve; means for connecting said valve with said arm of variable length;and means responsive to the pressure within the generator for graduallyincreasing the length of such arm as the pressure in said generator isreduced.

5. In an acetlylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motor; amotor lever having an arm of fixed length and an arm of variable lengthwith a slot therein; means for connecting said motor to said am oi fixedlength; a carbide valve; means comprising a drive link pivot operablysecured in said slot for connecting said valve with said arm of variablelength; and means responsive to the pressure in said generator auto-.matically varying the length of said arm by moving said pivot in saidslot.

6. In an acetylene generator; a carbide teed comprising a motor having avariable speed that increases with the amount of gas drawn from saidgenerator; a carbide teed valve; means having a variable ratio formoving said valve by said motor; and means comprising a diaphragmresponsive to the pressure within said generator for graduallyincreasing said ratio as said pressure is reduced.

'7. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising a motoroperated by gas drawn from said generator at a variable speed thatincreases with the amount of gas drawn from said generator; a carbidefeed valve; means comprising a lever provided with arms continuouslyvariable in relative length for moving said valve by said motor at avariable ratio; and means for antomatically varying said ratio accordingto the Variations in pressure within said generator comprising pressureresponsive mechanism for continuously varying the relative length oi.said arms.

8. In an acetylene generator; a carbide teed comprising a motor having avariable speed; a carbide teed valve; means for moving said valve bysaid motor at a variable rate; and means for increasing said rate withrespect to said motor when the pressure in said generator is reduced.

9. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combinationof a carbide teed valve having a fixed opening; a motor for moving saidcarbide valve according to the amount 01 gas drawn from said generator;and a diaphragm responsive to the pressure within said generator forincreasing the rate or said movement with respect to said motor as thepressure in said generator is reduced.

10. In an acetylene generator; 9. carbide feed comprising thecombination of a carbide feed valve having a fixed opening; means formoving said valve to feed carbide; and means for varying the rate ofmovement of said valve with respect to said moving means inversely withthe pressure within said generator.

11. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combinationof a feed valve having a fixed opening; and means for moving said valveby the gas drawn from said generator at a rate corresponding to theamount oi. gas drawn from said generator.

12. In an acetylene generator; a carbide feed comprising the combinationoi. a carbide feed valve; means for moving said valve to feed canbide;and means responsive to the amount of gas in said generator for varyingthe rate of said movement with respect to said moving means.

13. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valve;a motor having a rate of speed proportional to the rate of gas flow fromsaid generator; means for driving said valve by said motor; and meansfor varying the ratio of movement between said motor and said valve toautomatically maintain a predetermined gas pressure in said generator.

14. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valve;a motor for moving said valve; and means for increasing the ratio ofmovement between said motor and said valve when the pressure in saidgenerator is reduced.

15. In an acetylene generator; the combination of a carbide feed valvehaving a fixed opening; means for driving said valve comprising a motorhaving a rate of speed that varies with the rate that gas is drawn fromsaid generator; and means for varying the ratio of movement between saidmotor and said valve by the pressure m said generator.

MAURICE P. DE MOTTE.

